BSBPMG414 Project Information and Communication Techniques

Task 1: Activities

Activity 1

1. You have been asked to identify the information requirements for a project information communication you are involved in. What will you need to consider when doing this? (20–40 words).

It is required to contribute, source and identify all relevant information that are required for proper documentation of the project undertaken (Galliers & Leidner, 2014). Adequate communication networks and plans are required to be implemented for conducting the project in a smooth manner.

2. You have been asked to identify the best way for communication requirements to be met. What broad methods of communication might you is required to choose from? (40–60 words)

The methods related to communication include:

Communication planning: Determination of stakeholders’ requirements and ways to fulfil them through communication within project team.

Information distribution: Correct distribution of information to appropriate stakeholders.

Performance reporting: Accurate measurement of performance and forecasting project conditions.

Managing stakeholders: Communication within team members for communicating project success and solving issues with stakeholders can help attain success.

Activity 2

1. You have been asked to develop a communications management plan. What details will you include in the plan? Provide at least nine examples.

The details that should be included in communication management plan related to project can include a proper understanding of scope statement and the management plan related to project, identifying the project constraints, analysis of communication technology, devise a plan related to proper communication management, development of communication skills as per requirement, taking proper care of methods related to information distribution within project team members, taking proper care of the changes required for up gradation of the project quality, setting up of adequate information retrieval and gathering systems, proper attention on quality and measurement of work performance, establishment of time and cost reporting systems.

2. You have been charged with implementing a project communications plan. You have some information that you feel needs to be communicated to several people involved in the project. Should you provide that information to everyone? Explain. (75–125 words)

Adequate planning is required for undertaking effective communication. This planning requires adequate information related to the fact that what information is required to be conveyed to whom and at what time (Schwalbe, 2015). It is to be noted that informational needs, need to communicate information related to project and the distribution methods vary from project to project. Thereby, all these factors are required to be considered at time of communicating any kind of information related to the project undertaken. Along with this, quite a number of inputs like project scope statement, various environmental factors, project management plan and organisational process assets also require proper attention at time of efficient communication planning related to the specific project undertaken

Activity 3

1. What is validation and why should it be carried out before information for making decisions is provided to decision makers? (40–60 words)

From the viewpoint ofBryde, Broquetas & Volm(2013), validation helps to determine the process and demonstrate the procedure that have carried out for testing and maintaining the level of each stages in achieving the goal. In this regards, there are some sorts of decisions that are involved for making the decisions that are required to involve the plan. On the other hand, making decisions that can be sometime face complex issues, which required to solved along with the skills.

2. In your opinion, what should be done to ensure that information that will be used for making decisions is sound (eg checking that information is current)? Provide at least five examples.

In order to check the authenticity of the collected information, the project scope management statement requires a cross check, the fact that when the information gathered are of any use to the project undertaken or not, the communication techniques provided are useful for up gradation of the project quality or not, the information provided are adequate to satisfy the queries of the client or not and the information provided related to the project undertaken are current or not.

Activity 4

1. You have been told that there is a new virus that has devastated the information systems of other organizations. What are viruses and what could you do to ensure that the information being used for the project you are working on is secure against such attacks? (100–150 words)

First of all if it is possible then identify the viruses in order to get solution. However before that it is the vital step to save the document or file, which has got very important information about the organization in a reliable device, so, the document or file can be accessed safely and can be used it whenever needed.

In this case, IT professionals motivate users of the organisation to adopt various security practices that would reduce the loss of confidential information of the firm. For this reason, installation of activities would minimize the spyware, malware, virus exposure in the system. However, some of the organisations use antivirus software that are quite back dated and not at all secured to use it. On the other hand, free antivirus application are also some of the spyware that make the use of application which are backed dated and not at all secured to used.

As mentioned byMajchrzak et al. (2014), for protecting the document and other files of the organisation it is important to install real time or AVG antivirus for protect the document of the firm. Forthis reason, the database and application for using the antivirus program it is important to protect the antispyware along with the signature and paying the cost. This would make the organisation dealing with the project undertaken operate the files free from virus.

Activity 5

1. You have been asked to prepare some principles/ guidelines to be used as a guide for effectively communicating with stakeholders involved in a project. Prepare at least five principles to guide the conduct of communication for the project.

The principles that can be used as guide for effective communication with stakeholders taking part in an undertaken project might include the following:

The needs and expectations of the stakeholders from the undertaken project work.
The things that require more focus within the project work.
Information based on the level of urgency of the project on part of the stakeholders.
The time length the concerned stakeholder is willing to provide for completion of the project.

Activity 6

1. Describe at least three processes that can be used to ensure reports are of a consistently high standard.

For launching the project and formal process that required to manage the scope and develop the communication management in plan within the organisation. In this regards, effective approaches required to operate the project to analysis the implementation and develop the design for managing the project plan.

Peer review would help to summaries the project in proper manner.
Quality of report should be assurance
Audit report that would help to analysis the financial position of the organisation.

2. How do you ensure written information included in reports is clear and concise? Provide at least three strategies that might be used to do this.

Always make the short and clear, which would avoid the phrases that are complex. The statement should 15-20 words along with one idea. Proofreading is one of the important strategies that make the work more appropriate and chances of make mistake would reduced. Among all one of the best strategies would to pay more attention and make the structure more appropriate while implementing the plan in better way.

3. Prepare a brief document that you could use as a guide for when you write reports. This can be a bullet point list but it should have at least eight points.

For implementing the strategies required to plan before writing the report in proper way.

Analysing different way in communication management plan
Evaluate the purpose, scope and objective for developing the project.
Critically evaluate the factors that are used to communicate with the stakeholders regarding the goals, milestone and time management plan.
Analysis the tools that are related to encounter and plan the strategies in maintaining the current project
Management techniques that required monitoring while launching the products and critiquing the management in encountering the report plan and techniques.
In this report, the information delivers the communication plan and manages the decisions in better way.
It would ensure that all the information is relevant and important for improvising the project in proper manner.
At last, responsibility and pricing strategies would discuss in the techniques and management plan.

Activity 7

1. You have run into some difficulties with a project and feel you need some advice from a project authority. You have tried to find the information you need yourself but you have not had any success. You are concerned that if you ask for that advices project authorities will see you as being silly or incompetent. Would you ask for advice in this situation? Explain. (75–100 words)

Communication plays an important roles and solve the all the issues along with its solution. In this case, if any difficulties have been faced by the staff of the organisation it is the duty of project authority to solve the issues as soon as possible. As per case provide, manager should discuss with the project authority and try to solve the issues in proper way. First of all the issue required to identify communicate with the management who are under the project department and clear the issues for future course of action. Therefore, it would make the point clear to them in proper way.

2. You have decided that you will seek advice. How can you identify the right person to approach? (30–50 words)

For implementing a project plan it is important to analysis the department on which a person is working on. In this regards, identifying a right person and seek advice is the important course of action. Each department have its separate adviser and have separate expert to provide appropriate solution. Therefore, the difficulty, which field a person is facing would seek advice from the expert of that department.

Activity 8

1. Using your own ideas, how would you review determine the effectiveness of communications management. Provide at least three examples.

Communication management plan helps to achieve the goal that has been set by the organisation. In this regards, interacting with the stakeholders and other management related to project and identify the issues for solving it.

Activity 9

1. What action should you take if a communication issue occurs but you do not know how to fix it? (One sentence)

As a manager of the organisation place the issues in front of the management or ask for expert advice.

2. What information is included in lessons learned documentation? Why should lessons learned be documented? (50–75 words)

As stated bySherman & Ford(2014), lesson learned document new building construction would help to plan and capitalize the project plan. This would determine new project plan and determine the formal communication strategies for an organisation. This documentation would help to analysis the factors to analysis the documentation plan in proper way.

Task 2: Answer these questions

Question 1

1. Summarise the goal of and key components of the basic communication model. (100–150 words)

From the viewpoint ofSnyder(2014), process of communication have deliver the operate in systematic way. In the mentioned figure to manage the senders and review the verbal interaction plans in better way.

Figure 1: Communication model
(Sources:home.snu.edu, 2015)

Question 2

1. Explain the importance of keeping information secure. Why should information kept on computers be backed up? (150–200 words)

As mentioned byVaishnavi & Kuechler(2015), information required to kept in a secured way as it is confidential and required to manage the operating system in proper way. In this regards, operating system required to reinstall the data and application to upgrade all the application in proper way. Hence, it is impossible to wipe out the hardware issue and destroy the virus by implementing it proper form.

There are various forms to provide back up with the help of TSM and Crash plan. All the information is recorded in backup as the document required to manage the application for generating the system in proper way. It is the duty of the system department to regulate the data and record it for accessing the protected data in better way.

Question 3

1. Outline at least five sources of information that can be used to review communication outcomes.

1. Interaction with the stakeholders
2. Monitor the progress of the management
3. Review the planning process
4. Evaluate the outcome
5. Ultimate Result

Question 4

1. Identify the differences between organisational policies and procedures. Where can information about policies and procedures be found? (50–75 words)

The main differences between procedure and policies documents have been used to direct the principle of the firm whereas; the series follow consistent and repetitive approaches to accomplish the outcome of the sources.

While planning the project plan and developing the management plan would help to manage the producers in proper way. Policies and produces required to manage the procedures and evaluate the information in proper way.

Task 3: Project

You are required to document your role in applying communications and information management techniques at the completion of a project. This will form part of the project communication and information review. The project may be set in a business, social, sporting, or family environment but must be of a significant size and scale. If you do not have an actual project to write about you may complete the project hypothetically.

Your report should address each of the following issues:

1. Identify and describe the purpose, scope and objectives of the project.
2. What were the information requirements of the project
3. How was a communications plan developed
4. Describe how the team was informed of the project.
5. Describe the strategies that were set up to maintain communication with the team members
6. How was information delivered to help in decision-making activities
7. Describe the strategies that were used to set time frames or milestones for this project
8. Describe the tools that were used to communicate to stakeholders the goals, time frames or milestones
9. List any factors that you experienced that delayed your project and outline how you have overcome and communicated this to others.
10. What internal and external communication barriers were encountered and how were they addressed
11. How did you ensure that information was secure and auditable?
12. Critique the recording and reporting process (if applicable).
13. What information management techniques were employed to monitor timelines for the project? Was this successful and what other information management techniques could you have implemented?
14. How were current project records maintained? Who had responsibility for this? Give a critique and provide some recommendations on how this process could be improved.

Responses should demonstrate an understanding of how to:

1. identify, source and contribute relevant information requirements to initial project documentation
2. contribute to developing and implementing the project communications plan and communications network.
3. act on and process project information according to agreed procedures as directed, to aid decision-making processes throughout project life cycle.
4. maintain information to ensure data is secure and auditable
5. communicate with clients and other stakeholders during project using agreed networks, processes and procedures to ensure a flow of necessary information
6. ensure reports are prepared and released according to authorisation, or produced for release by others
7. seek information and advice from appropriate project authorities as required
8. assist in ongoing review of project outcomes to determine effectiveness of communications-management activities
9. report communications-management issues and responses to higher project authorities for application of lessons learned to future projects
10. lead an effective team in planning and implementing all necessary communications for a workplace project
11. evaluate and review project communication outcomes and make recommendations for future improvements
12. summarise models and methods of communications management
13. explain importance of managing risk by treating information securely
14. outline methods of reviewing outcomes

References list
Books
1. Boyle, G. (2017). Design project management. London: Routledge.
2. Fearn-Banks, K. (2016). Crisis communications: A casebook approach. Abingdon London: Routledge. 44-55.
3. Galliers, R. D., & Leidner, D. E. (Eds.). (2014). Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. London: Routledge.
4. Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
5. Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. (2013). Project Management: The Managerial Process with MS Project. New York City: McGraw-Hill.
6. Peppard, J., & Ward, J. (2016). The strategic management of information systems: Building a digital strategy. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 56-80.
7. Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information technology project management. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Journals

1. Bryde, D., Broquetas, M., & Volm, J. M. (2013). The project benefits of building information modelling (BIM). International journal of project management, 31(7), 971-980.
2. Fabien Gagnon, M. D., Dessau, J. C., Abab, A., Arsenault, P., El-Turaby, F., Lachance-Paquette, Williams, M. J. (2017). Labor Management Principles in the Communication Discipline: Developing a Communication Plan Based on an Organization Analysis.
3.home.snu.edu (2015) basic communication modelRetrieved from:http://home.snu.edu/~jsmith/library/body/v25.pdf [Accessed on: 12 November 2017]
4. Majchrzak, A., Beath, C. M., Lim, R., & Chin, W. (2014). Managing client dialogues during information systems design to facilitate client learning. 12-13.
5. Mok, K. Y., Shen, G. Q., & Yang, J. (2015). Stakeholder management studies in mega construction projects: A review and future directions. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), 446-457.
6.Papke-Shields, K. E., & Boyer-Wright, K. M. (2017). Strategic planning characteristics applied to project management. International Journal of Project Management, 35(2), 169-179.
7. Sherman, M. H., & Ford, J. (2014). Stakeholder engagement in adaptation interventions: an evaluation of projects in developing nations. Climate Policy, 14(3), 417-441.
8. Snyder, C. S. (2014). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: PMBOK Guide. Project Management Institute. 326-336.
9. Vaishnavi, V. K., & Kuechler, W. (2015). Design science research methods and patterns: innovating information and communication technology. Crc Press. 56-60.
10. Vercic, D., Vercic, D., Zerfass, A., & Zerfass, A. (2016). A comparative excellence framework for communication management. Journal of Communication Management, 20(4), 270-288.